United Airlines News

United's heft could help its new corporate venture capital unit, which will be like a barnacle on a whale. Unlike pure-play venture capital firms, United Airlines Ventures can invest for a truly long haul thanks to its strategic focus.

In terms of saving the planet, the next best thing to not flying long-haul could be flying on a plane that uses sustainable fuel. Many companies are buying into this now, but it's still early days.

American Airlines and Virgin Atlantic are the latest to make commitments for a new breed of electric aircraft. But with few more than glossy renderings and even fewer actually flying, the likelihood of this new breed of plane carrying passengers by mid-decade as promised is low.

New U.S. spending data suggests that some brands, such as Enterprise, Vrbo, and JetBlue, had a better first half of 2021 than their rivals. The travel industry as a whole should be grateful for the U.S. federal stimulus checks to consumers.

Traveling can be nerve-racking and airline lounges have traditionally provided a place of respite for weary travelers. As the pandemic recovery continues and lounges are reopening, this is the time to add a dose of safety, healthy good food and innovations to win passengers back.

The EU may very well open to vaccinated Americans this summer but airlines and analysts are already writing off 2021 as yet another lost summer travel season on the transatlantic. Better luck in 2022.

Many are optimistic that travelers will flood back into airports and onto planes this summer taking long-delayed vacations. But that flood could hit some bumps as a national labor shortage threatens to hit many aspects of the flying experience.